The present invention is directed to slot air diffusers or air bars that control air flow from a ventilation system into a room and, in particular, to an air diffuser that includes sets of different types of air flow control blades that are interchangeable after the diffuser is assembled without disassembly of the diffuser and, especially, wherein the blades are interchangeable after installation in an architectural environment without disassembly of the diffuser or the surrounding room structure.
Slot type air diffusers are used in many different environments for controlling air flow into a room from a heating and cooling ventilation system. Sometimes the particular requirements for air flow into a room require that the air flow be a jet type flow that has a relatively high velocity and projects substantially directly out of the diffuser and generally perpendicularly with respect to the surface upon which the diffuser is mounted. Other situations require that the air be diverted to one side or the other of the diffuser or may require that the air be directed to both sides of the diffuser. Also, it may become desirable to modify the volume of air flow between full flow of air through the diffuser and a dampened air flow. Often, the architect or engineer designing the facility determines what type of air flow will be necessary for a particular diffuser and a diffuser is designed to provide that flow. In some instances the installer may make the determination as to what will work best at the time of installation.
The present invention is especially useful where it is necessary for the installer to make the decision as to what to install at the site or where a change must be made to an already assembled unit. That is, the present invention provides sets of different types of air control blades that allow for different types of air flows, for example, a jet stream or alternatively a more diffuse and side directed flow of air, depending upon the particular requirements at hand.
Furthermore, it is often necessary to either repair the diffuser or to modify a diffuser from one type of air flow to another after installation of the diffuser, when the heat and cooling loads surrounding the diffuser have changed or personnel locations have changed. Also, it is advantageous to provide a diffuser that has easily changeable blades that can be interchanged at a warehouse or distribution point, so that if the seller or distributor is out of a diffuser in a particular configuration, then persons at the warehouse can easily convert the diffuser to a different configuration without a substantial amount of work.
Therefore, it is desirable to have a diffuser for which different sets of blades are available, wherein at least one set of the blades allows for substantial directional control of the air flow to the side and another set of blades allows for a jet air flow from the diffuser. Also, it is important that the blades be easily removable once the diffuser has been installed in the ceiling, wall or the like, without disassembly of the diffuser or the structure in which it is installed. That is, the blades should be capable of being easily removed by manual manipulation with or without help of a simple tool to help urge the blades to one side of the diffuser for removal purposes. To allow easy removal, the diffuser must include a bridge that will support the blades in such a manner that the blades may be moved relative to the bridge from a support configuration to a removal configuration in an easy and simple manner, while the bridge remains supported by the remainder of the diffuser.